In the documentary Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond questions and explains why early settlements had more advanced technology and lifestyles than other settlements. He believes the reason behind this inconsistency is due to Geographic Luck. He theorized that the location of a civilization affects their growth and development as a community. Diamond used evidence of early Papua New Guinea and Middle Eastern settlements to prove his theory. Geographical features in a civilization's location such as wildlife, plant life, climate, and other raw resources determined their overall success and lifestyle.
One aspect of early civilizations that impacted their survival was the civilization’s animals.. The quantity and type of animal was crucial in supplying food and materials for an entire community. “Instead of having to go out to hunt, you have a dependable meat supply on the hoof,” (PBS). The ability to domesticate animals was applicable in the Middle East. These civilizations had access to animals such as goats, sheep, and horses for meat, milk, clothing material, and farm labor. As the quote suggests, Middle Easterners had the advantage of a dependable source of food and materials while other geographical
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”People around the world who had access to the most productive crops became the most productive farmers,” (PBS). Productive crops are the easiest to farm, provide the most nutrients, and stay fresh the longest. These factors were determined by a crop’s availability in certain areas. In the Middle East, natives grew wheat which was extremely more productive than taro which was grown in Papua New Guinea. Because wheat was easier to grow, stored better, and contained more protein and fiber than taro, Middle Easterners had a more reliable and useful food source. Therefore, these settlements had more time to focus on creating more productive farming